Howes Family Extradition By Billy Briggs

No UK trial to establish evidence of supplying global crystal-meth labs By Billy Briggs.

A SCOTS couple who have four children face the possibility of prison and extradition to America next month despite having not stood trial in a court for the crime of which they are accused.

In a case that highlights the controversial impact on British justice of the post-9/11 extradition treaty signed between the UK and the US, Brian and Kerry Howes of Bo’ness, West Lothian, are facing extradition to America on allegations of supplying chemicals over the internet in a conspiracy to produce crystal meth.

The couple, who deny the charges, face a preliminary extradition hearing at the high court in Edinburgh on January 14. They fear they will be remanded in custody and their four children will go into care ahead of their removal to America.



Under the terms of the treaty, the US can apply to have someone extradited without any trial taking place in the UK. On signing the Extradition Act 2003, the then home secretary, David Blunkett, removed the obligation on US law enforcement agencies to present British courts with prima facie evidence of criminality. Thanks to the Royal Prerogative, the treaty became law without parliamentary debate, which means that the US must only provide “written information” relating to an alleged wrongdoing.

Crystal meth - a form of amphetamine that has been crystallised so that it can be smoked - is a highly dangerous and addictive drug that has pervaded the poorer sections of American society for the past 20 years. Pseudoephedrine, iodine and red phosphorus are the three main chemicals required to make the drug, which produces a high that may last 12 hours or more.



Brian Howes - an amateur pyrotechnician who sold chemicals in the UK legally - denies that he and his wife broke the law by selling iodine and red phosphorus through their internet business. But federal prosecutors at the Drug Enforcement Agency in Arizona allege they were part of a drugs racket supplying a global network of meth labs in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries.

Howes said their children will have to go into care if they are remanded in custody and that his wife, Kerry, is 23 weeks pregnant and faces giving birth to their fifth child on a chain gang in Arizona. “We just want a fair trial in the UK but that is not going to happen as the extradition treaty replaces the word evidence’ with information’ - and information is accepted as true, that is the wording of the act. We have no faith in these proceedings as the files from our previous solicitors have not arrived with our current solicitors after three months, so no defence has been able to be mounted.

“In England, people are bailed right up to the House of Lords and then the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), but we will be remanded during or after the high court hearing in Edinburgh. We need help with a fund to fight in the ECHR and then we may have a chance of bail. The Scottish legal aid system does not pay for this - in England it is even afforded to people who have confessed to a crime.”
Brian Howes Family



While a passionate debate raged across Britain about the 42-day limit for terror suspects, Brian, 44, and, Kerry-Ann, 30, previously spent 214 days on remand in prison, a detention that lasted five times longer than the proposed terror suspect threshold passed by the House of Commons in June but recently rejected by the House of Lords.

People can be held on remand indefinitely under the extradition treaty.

Middlesbrough Police: How did Kyle die?

Kyle Fisher left.

(Cleveland Police need investigating urgently)

Published Date:

19 December 2008

By Marissa Carruthers

The devoted dad of tragic tot Kyle Fisher is demanding the police investigation into his death is re-opened.

A jury yesterday cleared babysitter Suzanne Holdsworth of killing two-year-old Kyle, from Houghton, after she was accused of flying into a fit of rage and repeatedly banging his head against a wooden banister with as much force as a 60mph crash.

Ms Holdsworth, 38, of Boggart Hill Drive, Leeds, appeared at Teesside Crown Court, accused of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter after a retrial.

But after almost three weeks in court, a jury yesterday acquitted Ms Holdsworth of the charges, and Cleveland Police say they have no plans to reopen the case.

John Sweeney call with Suzanne Holdsworth in

prison, a very sad call.

Today Kyle's distraught dad, Jon Taylor, of Houghton, demanded answers and a further probe into the death of his son, who he knows as Kyle Jon David Taylor.

He said: "I was never 100 per cent certain Suzanne did it. It's taken four years to get to this."

"It's been hard for the last four years and all I want now is to find out how he died.

"I want to know the truth, I'm sick of it all.

"There's no resolution for me as to what happened, and that's what I want."

Ms Holdsworth was accused of killing Kyle, of Houghton, at her home, then in Millpool Close, Hartlepool, as she looked after him while his mum, Clare Fisher, went to a karaoke night on July 21, 2004.

It was also claimed Ms Holdsworth assaulted Kyle the previous night when she looked after him while his mum went to the cinema.

But Ms Holdsworth, a former supermarket worker, argued Kyle suddenly "went floppy", started hitting himself and was drifting in and out of consciousness while they were watching TV on the sofa.

He was taken to Hartlepool's University Hospital and was later transferred to Newcastle General Hospital where he was put on a ventilator, but was later taken off after it became clear he was brain dead.

During the retrial, the jury heard from two medical experts who said an epileptic fit was most likely to have been the cause of death.

But the court also heard baby Kyle had bruising and marks to his head.

Ms Holdsworth's defence blamed Kyle's mum, claiming they were inflicted the previous day and, coupled with his brain abnormalities, led to the deadly fit.

The court heard Miss Fisher was suffering from depression at the time and was unable to cope with the demands of bringing up a toddler.

Her house was untidy, neighbours complained of loud music at night, and days before Kyle died, she "mistreated" him by leaving him home alone while out with friends.

Andrew Thomas QC, defending, said: "It is Clare Fisher who is the credible candidate for attacking Kyle in this case."

Cleveland police officers suspended over alleged misconduct

Nov 21 2008 by Simon Walton, Evening Gazette

TWO Cleveland Police officers and two civilian members of staff have been suspended over alleged misconduct.

An internal investigation by the force is now under way.

The two civilian workers were sent home from work on November 4, while the two police officers were suspended the following day.

The police officers are understood to be a senior officer and a detective based in Middlesbrough.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Two police officers and two members of police staff have been suspended in relation to allegations of misconduct. Inquiries are ongoing.

“There are no criminal matters being considered and this is an internal investigation only at this stage.”

The force would not reveal what the alleged misconduct was.

Steve Matthews, chairman of the Cleveland Police Federation, said he could not comment on the civilian workers, who were not members of the police union.

He added: “I can confirm that two police officers are being investigated for alleged misconduct.”

Middlesbrough based Police Officer in court over GBH charge

Posted by Evening Gazette on October 7, 2008 11:21 AM | Permalink

A CLEVELAND Police officer has appeared in court charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

PC Simon Atkins, 36, who is based in Middlesbrough but is currently suspended, appeared before magistrates at Teesside Magistrates Court yesterday.Monday

He is charged in connection with an incident in which a 32-year-old man was arrested in Middlesbrough on September 30, 2007.

The allegation follows an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

In a brief hearing, the case was adjourned until October 14 and PC Atkins was granted unconditional bail until that date. No plea was entered.

Jul 28 2008 by Simon Walton, Evening Gazette

CLEVELAND Police Chief Constable Sean Price today defended his force’s record - despite figures showing Teessiders suffer more crimes per person than anywhere else in the UK.

New Home Office figures for recorded crime reveal that for every 1,000 people living on Teesside, there were 119 crimes recorded in 2007-2008 - the highest in the UK. The national average was 91 crimes.

But Mr Price today said the “recorded” crime figures were misleading and an alternative survey had found that Teesside has one of the lowest figures for crimes against the person in the UK.

The two sets of figures were revealed in a Home Office report into crime in England and Wales for 2007-2008.

Recorded crimes are those offences reported to or noted by police forces.

However, the British Crime Survey (BCS) involved quizzing 47,000 people across the UK - including 1,064 people on Teesside - about their experiences and perceptions of crime and takes account of offences not reported to the police.

In recorded crime Teesside also topped the table in violence against the person, at 23 offences per 1,000 people and criminal damage, with 31 offences.

North Yorkshire shared the lowest figure in England at 64 crimes.

But Mr Price said Teesside’s small geographical size compared to other areas made the recorded crime statistics misleading.

He told the Gazette: “We do think per thousand population is a bit of a false way to look at crime.

“We compare ourselves with Manchester. They have concentrations of crime but they have a very large geographical area. But we have a small area so it looks like we are worse.”

Mr Price said the BCS is regarded as a “better reflection of the true extent of household and personal crime”.

The survey suggests that Teesside has one of the lowest figures for crimes against the person in the UK at a rate of 488 crimes per 10,000 population.

The average figure for England and Wales was nearly twice Teesside’s figure at 848.

Mr Price added: “Each police force records its own crime and can influence that crime in terms of how it’s recorded. But when it comes to asking 47,000 people, no police force can influence that - it is what the public think and have experienced.”

Mr Price added that many people felt the force was currently over-recording crime, with incidents such as a school playground fight perhaps better dealt with by other means.

Cleveland Police Authority Chairman Councillor Dave McLuckie said the latest performance figures showed that in the three months to the end of June, the number of recorded crimes on Teesside was slashed by more than 2,800 compared to the same period last year.

He added: “Whether it is violence, robberies, burglaries and theft or motor crime, the figures tell the same story - good news for law-abiding citizens and bad news for criminals.”

Offences 2007-2008
Total offences: 119
Violence against the person: 23
Sexual offences: 1
Robbery: 1
Burglary: 13
Offences against vehicles: 12
Other theft offences: 29
Fraud and forgery: 2
Criminal damage: 31
Drug offences: 4
Other offences: 3

Derek is new Deputy Chief

CLEVELAND Police has a new Deputy Chief Constable - and he is Teesside born and bred.

Derek Bonnard, a Boro fan and season ticket holder at the Riverside Stadium, has been promoted to the post after serving with the force as Assistant Chief Constable for more than four years.

Mr Bonnard, 45, takes over the Deputy Chief Constable’s role from Ron Hogg who retired recently after a long career in policing in the North-east.

After gaining a BSc Honours Degree from University College, London, Mr Bonnard began work in the city as a tax specialist with the major accountancy firm Touche Ross.

In 1986 he transferred to the company’s Leeds office but a year later joined West Yorkshire Police, rising to the rank of Chief Superintendent.

Since joining the Cleveland force in 2004, Mr Bonnard has had responsibility for a wide range of activities - including neighbourhood policing, special constables, volunteers and professional standards.

BitTorrent crackdown cops fail to pay music copyright fees

Six OiNK accused in court today

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 24th September 2008 11:30 GMT

Cleveland Police, the force that will today bring six people to court for alleged involvement in the OiNK BitTorrent network, does not pay licensing fees to legally play music in its canteens, it has emerged.

Rumours that Cleveland Police was infringing copyright law have been circulating for several months. Yesterday the Middlesborough Gazette reported the force admitted the transgression and said it had not decided whether to pay its Performing Rights Society (PRS) subs.

The PRS collects royalties for artists and record companies from non-domestic performance of recorded copyright music.

A spokeswoman confirmed Cleveland Police's position to El Reg today.

A statement from Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Constable Derek Bonnard said: "We continue to assess the position and are seeking advice to determine if we are required by law to spend a significant amount of public money, which we consider is better committed to crime fighting, in this way." That Quote is priceless

The PRS argues that police forces are required to pay the same as other organisations. It issued a High Court writ against police in Lancashire earlier this year for the same infringment Cleveland has admitted.

PRS said only 11 forces nationwide have paid for the legal right to play copyright music in staff areas. Action against the Lancashire Constabulary has been suspended while the parties attempt to negotiate a settlement.

Depending on where and how it it plays copyright music, Cleveland Police can expect a PRS bill of between a few hundred and a few thousand pounds.

Alan Ellis, the 25-year-old administrator of OiNK, will face Teesside magistrates today on a charge of conspiracy to defraud. Five individuals who were arrested following last year's raids on Ellis and OiNK's servers will also appear, accused of criminal copyright infringement for uploading new trackers to the site.

All of the alleged offences could carry prison sentences. ® Corrupt Cleveland Police Officers.

No licence for Cleveland Police OINK Alan Ellis

I think this amounts to conspiracy to defraud the music industry as
Derek Bonnard clearly conspired with others not to pay. But Cleveland
Police have always been willing to break the law when it suits them.
Opinion by Brian Howes.

Sep 23 2008 by Simon Walton, Evening Gazette

A POLICE force that launched a crackdown against music piracy may itself be breaching music copyright laws, it has emerged.

But Cleveland Police chiefs today claimed they would rather spend public cash on fighting crime than paying for music rights.

Music licensing authority the Performing Rights Society (PRS) claims many forces have no licence to allow the playing of music in their stations.

A PRS licence is required by law in many cases when music is played outside a domestic home.

The licence fee - which for a whole police force could run from several hundred to thousands of pounds a year - is applicable to music played on a television, radio or CD player, music played in areas such as staff canteens or social areas, and during a presentation or social event.

Cleveland Police is among dozens of forces that have not paid up. Last year the force made headlines across the world when it swooped on a Middlesbrough house to crack a suspected international music piracy scam worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It is alleged the website, called Oink, involved a private file sharing site with a worldwide membership of 180,000 people. It is said to have allowed the uploading and downloading of pre-release music. The high-profile raid sent shock waves around the internet world.

Now Cleveland Police may itself have fallen foul of music copyright laws.

Other businesses that require a licence if music is played include hairdressers or shops.

The PRS has taken Lancashire Police to the High Court asking for an injunction over the issue. The legal action is on hold while negotiations take place in a bid to reach a settlement.

A PRS spokeswoman said only around 11 police forces in the UK currently hold a licence.

Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Constable Derek Bonnard said: “We continue to assess the position and are seeking advice to determine if we are required by law to spend a significant amount of public money, which we consider is better committed to crime fighting, in this way.”

Six people have been charged in connection with the Oink arrests in October of last year and are due before Teesside Magistrates’ Court.